Episode 2.4
Synopsis When the team are sent to investigate the disappearance of a teenager, Abby is dragged through an anomaly by another future carnivorous species named the Mer. Plot When an anomaly opens underwater, a teenage boy, Lucien Hope is dragged into a flooded drain. Cutter and the team launch a frantic search that leads them from the drain to a nearby canal. Jenny narrowly escapes a tragic end when the boat she is in comes under attack by a shark, but a strange discovery during the creature's post-mortem suggests it may not have come from the past. The creature's secret weapon is a giant proboscis that shoots from its jaws to trap its prey, evidence of an unusual evolutionary development; it is clearly an animal from the future. At Abby's flat, they return to find Caroline asleep on the sofa and Rex trapped in the fridge barely alive. Abby blames Caroline for the incident, who swiftly departs the scene. As a result, Connor and Abby's friendship swiftly begins to deteriorate. Stephen is convinced that there must be a second shark in the water and that is what killed the teenage boy, but Cutter isn't convinced. He thinks there is a different creature- a marine mammal- out there and he feels certain they are looking for it in the wrong place. Cutter disobeys Lester's order and follows his hunch. With the help of Connor and Abby he records some strange ‘singing' sounds, like whale song coming from below the water. He also gets into a fight with the mysterious 'Cleaner' who appears to have been following them: however, the man escapes. Cutter, with Connor and Abby's help then play the recordings back, hoping to lure the creature to them. The plan works a little too well when a creatures jumps out of the water and grabs Abby, dragging her beneath the water. The team desperately search the canal looking for Abby but they can find no trace of either her or the creature. Stephen and Cutter presume she must be dead and call off the search. Connor is beside himself when Lester arrives, who promptly sends Connor home, fires Cutter and puts Stephen in charge of the operation. In secret, Jenny provides Cutter with information about a flooded warehouse, which Cutter deduces could be the lair of the creatures. Cutter contacts Connor and convinces him to help find the creature rather than let Abby's death be in vain: Connor does so, explaining to Cutter he is doing it in regret for the cruel and spiteful things he and Abby said to each other before her death. Cutter consoles him with the thought Abby knew he cared for her. They search the warehouse that has apparently flooded and Connor is overjoyed to find Abby and Lucien are still alive: the creatures were storing them for food. This excitement is short lived when Abby is taken by a creature, dubbed 'the Mer': Connor goes off to search for her, while Lucien and Cutter are left to fight the remaining Mer on their own. Fortunately, Stephen, who has been scanning the drains with a remote control submarine, sees what is happening and arrives just in time to swing the battle in Cutter's favour, using a machine gun to cut down the Mer without mercy. Connor finds Abby just as she is dragged through the anomaly by a gargantuan red-skinned Mer. He gives chase to find himself on an apocalyptic shoreline millions of years in the future: the sky is dark and lightning strikes frequently. On the rocks, the creatures gather. Connor finds Abby below a cliff ledge beneath him, being menaced by one of the Mer; he slays the creature by hurling a rock at its head. Abby tries to climb up but she loses her footing on the ascent, leaving her dangling with Connor holding her by one hand, her weight threatening to pull them both to their deaths. The Mer, seeing their prey is escaping, launch an attack, including the large red creature that took Abby. She begs Connor to let her go, saying there is no point in getting them both killed, but Connor refuses, simply saying, "I love you." As Connor is about to lose his grip, he throws his hand out...and Cutter grabs it, having followed with Stephen. Cutter and Connor pull Abby to safety, seconds before the Mer can get her, and then Stephen and Cutter, who have brought guns with them, open fire on the red-skinned Mer below, killing the beast. Back in the present day, Lucien is sent home to his family, thanking Abby and Connor for their help, referring to him as 'her boyfriend', a claim Abby denies. Lester arrives with Leek; Lester orders the anomaly site to be sealed in concrete, thanks Cutter for returning to their aid, and criticises Stephen for failing to expand the search. In private, Abby asks Cutter if what they saw through the anomaly is their future, but Cutter explains humanity will be extinct long before then, or perhaps mankind will simply return to the waters from where they came: the Mer could potentially be descended from humans. Back at her flat, Abby and Connor discuss what was said back in the anomaly: before they can admit their feelings for each other, an interruption in the form of Caroline intervenes. Meanwhile, in a secluded car park, Oliver Leek is in a meeting in his car with 'the Cleaner', who is speaking via videolink, and a shadowy figure on the back seat. Leek warns the Cleaner mistakes like letting Cutter see him are jeopardising 'the operation' and warns him to stay out of sight in future. Once the Cleaner has cut communication, Leek promises the figure in the back of his car such mistakes will not happen again. The figure leans forward- revealing herself to be Helen Cutter- and warns Leek that such failures will not be tolerated. Leek promises that it won't happen again, as he 'has a lot riding on this', and then Helen exits, leaving Leek visibly shaken. Cast *Nick Cutter — Douglas Henshall *Abby Maitland — Hannah Spearritt *Stephen Hart — James Murray *Connor Temple — Andrew-Lee Potts *Helen Cutter — Juliet Aubrey *James Lester — Ben Miller *Oliver Leek — Karl Theobald *Jenny Lewis - Lucy Brown *Caroline Steel — Naomi Bentley *The Cleaner - Tim Faraday Continuity *This time the Wilhelm Scream is heard from a member of the team and not any random victim. Connor screams it when a Mer swipes him into the water. *The Mer appear again in the series later at Episode 2.6 and Episode 2.7. Ratings To be added Errors To be added External link * Episode Guide on itv.com http://www.itv.com/Drama/cult/Primeval/default.html 2.4, Episode